When shopping for bronzer, there’s a lot to think about beyond which sun-kissed hue is the best match for your skin tone. Here’s the short list of what to pay attention to on the sustainability side of things: Products that have silica, iron oxide, xanthan gum, vegetable glycerin, plant waxes, and plant-based oils like coconut oil or jojoba oil are a ‘yay.’ Plant-based pigments are good too, like cocoa powder, beetroot, and annatto. Bronzers that are made with talc, polyethylene glycols, naturally-mined mica, and synthetic dyes are on the ‘nay’ list. Our favorite bronzer options are packaged in plastic-free palettes and containers. Better yet, choose refillable containers or those made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic. Extra bonus points if the product is certified by PETA’s ‘Global Beauty Without Bunnies’ or follows the COSMOS Organic Standard (More on those below)!

Ingredients

At the most basic level, your favorite bronzer is probably made up of a mineral base, some form of coloring, and binders that are mixed in with the mineral base. So, let’s take a closer look. 

A Mineral Base

Talc is a mineral substance used in a variety of cosmetic products, including bronzer and eyeshadow. But just because it’s used widely in the industry doesn’t mean we want to use it. Despite its ability to absorb moisture and prevent makeup from caking, it can be contaminated with some nasty chemicals. At its worst, talc can contain asbestos, which is a known carcinogen, and has been found in products that were even marketed to children in the past. Yikes. All that being said, you’ll probably want to avoid products that have Talcum powder or Cosmetic Talc listed in their ingredients.

‍It’s a mouthful, but polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are often used in bronzers and eyeshadows to serve several purposes, from helping the product last longer, to retaining moisture, to providing a smoother application. Unfortunately, though, products that have PEGs are often contaminated with carcinogenic 1,4 dioxane – and there are currently no federal regulations banning the carcinogen from cosmetic products. As if the health implications weren’t bad enough, studies have linked PEG exposure to harming marine life. If possible, avoid them altogether and instead go for products that have natural alternatives like xanthan gum (basically fermented sugar that is biologically sourced and, well, not derived from petroleum), vegetable glycerin, or plant-derived waxes.

‍India, China, and Madagascar are some of the biggest miners of mica, a mineral that gives bronzer that irresistible shimmer look (if that’s your thing...we’re also all in for the matte look). Unfortunately, there are some serious question marks here around sourcing, especially since exposés and investigations found child labor and inhumane working conditions in the mica supply chain. If you don't want to question whether unfair labor went into sourcing the mica for your bronzer or eyeshadow, reach for products that use synthetic mica (not to be confused with synthetic dyes, which persist in the environment far longer and impact the health of humans and marine life alike), listed exactly as it is here on the product. Also, yes, synthetic mica persists in the environment and is not a “perfect” choice, but it avoids the ethical crisis that persists in mining real mica.

‍Want to avoid the dreaded moment where your makeup seems to magically slip off your face before you even step out the door? Enter silica. Silica is used in bronzer to absorb excess oil and provide a smoothing effect, so your makeup stays put and gives more of that seamless, effortless look. Go for silica as a better alternative to microbeads, which are often used in bronzer for the same purpose as silica, but pass through wastewater systems and end up in marine ecosystems. In the future, keep an eye out for innovations like biogenic silica, which recently showed promising results for its suitability in makeup in a lab study (in this case, it was made from sugarcane ash; more generally, though, ‘biogenic’ means that it’s made from living organisms). 

Pigment / Coloring

If you want to achieve that sun-kissed glow, you’ll need to use a product that has some color in it. That’s where pigments come in. Iron oxide is a mineral pigment frequently used to achieve those warmer hues. It’s a naturally occurring mineral compound made of iron and oxygen, though often synthetic in makeup to ensure that it’s free from heavy metals or other contaminants. It’s worth noting that, while iron oxides are naturally occurring mineral deposits, mining and extracting them can contribute to soil erosion, habitat destruction, and loss of biodiversity. Given a choice, we’d still go for iron oxide as one of the least harmful colorants. Look for brands that state they meet FDA, EU, or ISO regulations when iron oxide is present. Alternatively, you could look for plant-based pigments like cocoa powder, beetroot, or annatto, which are less resource-intensive than their synthetic counterparts. 

Speaking of synthetics – try to avoid bronzers that are made with synthetic dyes altogether. Synthetic dyes are different from pigments, and they can be tricky to catch – they're often either called something that sounds more “natural” than it really is, like “Yellow 5 Lake,” or they’re listed as technical names or Color Index (CI) numbers that don’t mean much to the typical makeup user. Nevertheless, they are endocrine disruptors, which can cause skin sensitivities, and can build up in the environment, causing harm to aquatic life. In fact, synthetic dyes that creep into the ocean through wastewater discharge block sunlight, disrupting photosynthesis in aquatic plants – which is pretty important to their survival. 

Binders 

Binders are what hold bronzer particles together, allowing them to be one cohesive product – and allowing you to apply it in a way that has staying power for a full day or night. Look for plant-based oils like coconut oil, whose high medium-chain fatty acid content helps with deep hydration and a dewy finish. Or choose products that have jojoba oil – it's fun to say AND it has anti-inflammatory properties.

Packaging and Such

Bronzer typically comes in plastic compacts which, despite their durability, are usually not recyclable and would take hundreds of years to decompose if/when they’re thrown in a landfill (aka you put it in your trash can when you’re done with it). Look for these options instead: 

• Compacts made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic helps support a circular economy, where materials are actually reused (in 2022, only 27.9% of plastic waste disposed of was actually recycled), and might help reduce the demand for more virgin plastic...though the verdict is still out about whether the industrial production of plastic will actually slow down. 
• While they can be a little harder to find, bronzer packaging that is completely plastic-free, made of cardboard, bamboo, or other wood derivatives, are also helpful in avoiding the whole plastics crisis issue. 
• If you’re struggling to find a totally plastic-free bronzer that works for you, look for bronzers, like Ilia’s, which give U.S. customers the opportunity to mail up to ten empty beauty products per month – from any brand – back to the company to help with more responsible disposal of harder-to-recycle beauty products. Just make sure you fully use up the product first, which is a best practice no matter what!
• With refillable palettes, you yourself can extend the life of the packaging, keeping it out of landfill. Kjaer Weis and Zao Makeup have refillable bronzer options that look pretty solid. 

Certifications:

PETA’s ‘Global Beauty Without Bunnies’

This PETA program lists companies under animal test-free and animal test-free and vegan designations. The first recognizes brands that have verified they and their suppliers do not allow any tests on animals for their ingredients or products (and they never will), and the second recognizes brands that meet these requirements and have their entire product line free of animal-derived ingredients.

COSMOS Organic

COSMOS Organic is a standard-setting organization that has stringent organic- and sustainability-related requirements for cosmetic products. Certification bodies like Ecocert will certify products to the COSMOS Organic standard. Spoiler alert: you want these products. 

Bonus! Here’s a Use Tip

What’s one thing we sometimes forget to do with our makeup? Actually use up the whole product! You get to use more of it, your wallet will thank you, and you’ll avoid partial product waste. Win-win-win!

One Last Fun Fact for Good Measure

A common, but often overlooked, way to use makeup more sustainably is to find multi-use products. Enter one of makeup’s hottest trends: blonzer! ‘Blonzers’ are products that combine the warm glow of a bronzer with a sun-kissed flush of blush – all in one product. While it’s more so about the specific shade of the product than a once-in-a-lifetime innovation, it’s a great way to achieve an effortless glow with one less product.